Magic display apparatus



July 7, 1936.

P. LAMoNTE l MAGIC DISPLAY APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.. 6, 1934 ATroRNEY July 7, 1936- P. LAMONTE 2,046,826

MAGIC DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Nov. e, 1954 s sheets-sheet 2 uw E u ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIeE MAGIC DISPLAY APPARATUS Application November 6, 1934, Serial No. 751,701

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a magic display apyp'aratus The object of the invention is the production of a magic display apparatus, wherewith a display housing is alternately shown to be empty and then shown to contain different objects, without an observer being able to see how the different objects are placed into and removed from the display housing. m The second object of the invention is the production in a magic display apparatus, of a main housing having a display housing therein and a working chamber at the rear of the display housing, the latter being invisible by the reflection of mirrors in the main housing.

The third object of the invention is the production in a magic display apparatus, of a main housing, with strips on a portion of the upper face of its base plate and on a portion of the lower face of its ceiling or roof, which strips by means of mirrors are reflected to indicate that said strips cover the full area of said base plate and said ceiling.

The fourth object of the invention is the production of a magic display apparatus, which may be used for a show window, for amusement in a theater, for a toy and for other purposes.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a front view of the magic display apparatus; Fig. 2 represents a section of Fig. l on the line 2. 2; Fig. 3 indicates a section on the line 3. 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 shows a partial section of Fig. 1 on the line 4. 4; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5. 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 shows a section on the line 6. 6 of Fig. 3; Fig. '7 represents a front view of a portion of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 shows a section on the line 8. 8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 shows a partial left hand view of Fig. 7 and Fig. 10 shows av diagrammatic top View of the interior of the main housing of the apparatus with some of its appurtenances therein.

The magic display apparatus in the present exempliiication comprises a main housing designated in its entirety by the numeral 26. yThe said housing is shown with the base plate 22, preferably of wood, and around which latter extends the metallic band 23. Corner posts extend upwardly from the base plate 22 and have theiring 28.

Within the housing 26 are indicated the inclined walls 38 which extend between the base plate 22 and the ceiling 28, and make angles of `forty-iive degrees with the side walls 26. The forward ends of 'the Walls 38 are joined by the connecting member '39 which is at right `angles to the side walls' 26 and has indicated therein the opening 46 with the stop face 40a.

Mirrors 4l and 42 extend over the inclined walls 38. The walls 38 divide the interior of the housing 2i! into the observation chamber 43 and the working chamber 44.

A displayV housing designated in its entirety by the numeral 45 is positioned within the main housing .'26 and connects the observation chamber 15 43 and the working chamber 44. The display housing 45 comprises the base plate 46 having the front flange 41, the side walls 48, and the roof or ceiling 49. Th'e rear of the display housing 45 has an opening 50, and at the front ofthe said housing which is open are shown the swinging doors 55. The doors 55 are fastened to the rods 56. A lower. tubular support 59, having the longitudinal rear opening 60, extends between the base plates 22 and 46 and a similar tubular support 63 with its longitudinal rear opening 64 extends between the roofs 28 and 49.

The longitudinal axis of the supports 59 and 63 are in line with peak of the mirrors 4| and 42.

An opening 65 is indicated in the front face of the support 59. The front ends of the mirrors 4I and '42, at their upper and lower ends meet within the openings 60 and 64 'at the vertical center lineof the housing 45. A stair case 68 connects the basev plates 22 and 46.

In the lowertubular support 59 is positioned the vertical oscillating bar 10, having its ends pivoted in the base plates 22 and 46.

To the lower ends of the rods 56 are fastened the pinions 14 which mesh with the spur gears 15 that are journaled on pins extending from the lower face 'of the base plate 46. A lever 16 has its: ends pivoted to pins` extending from the spur gears 15. An arm 18 having the forked end 19 has one end fastened to the loscillating bar 10 and its forked end 19 engages a pin 80 extending from the lever 16. -An operating lever 82 has one end fastened to the Vertical oscillating bar 10. At the swinging end of the operating lever 82 is journaled the roller 83. The said lever 82 extends through the opening 40, and a spring 84 has one end fastened to the lever 82 and its other end is fastened to one of the inclined walls 38.

. AV supporting plate 88 is fastened to the base plate 22 in the working chamber 44. The electric motor 98 having the armature shaft 9| is positioned in the working chamber 44 and is fastened to the plate 88.

A gear housing for the electric motor is indicated at 92, and contains a pair of gears, not shown, one of which is fastened to the armature shaft 9| in the usual Way. A worm shaft 96 eX- tends from the other gear in said gear housing and has connected thereto the worm 91. A driving shaft 98 is journaled in journal brackets 99 extending upwardly from the plate 88. A worm Wheel |00 in mesh with the Worm 91 is fastened to one end of the shaft 98, and a cam IBI is fastened to the other end of the shaft 98. A main disc cam |96 having the side cam |01 extending therefrom is fastened to the driving shaft 98. A roller |98 is journaled to the cam |06. The roller 83 coacts with the side cam |01. A vertical shaft I8 in the working chamber 44 has its upper end journaled in the journal bracket III extending from the roof or ceiling 28, and its lower end is journaled in the journal bracket I2 extending up from the supporting plate 88. To the shaft I|0 are fastened the pinion ||4 and the controlling disc I|5 having the four locking notches IIS, which latter are ninety degrees apart. To the supporting plate 88 is fastened the guide bracket ||8 having the guide lugs ||9 at its ends, A slide |22 having the hook end |23 is guided in the bracket I I8 and the guide lugs I I9. The roller |88 coacts with the hook end |23.

From the supporting plate 88 extends the pin |28, on which is hinged the locking lever |38 having extending therefrom the locking pin |3| and the stop pin |32. 'Ihe locking pin |3| is adapted to lock with the locking notches I I6 and the stop pin |32 is adapted to bear against the circumferential surface of the controlling disc H5. A spring |34 has one end hinged to a pin |35 extending from the plate 88, and its free end bears against the lever |30. A stop pin |36 for the spring |34 also extends from the plate 88.

From the plate 88 extends the boss |49. To the upper end of the boss |40 are journaled the spur gear 4| and the pin disc |42, which may be integral with each other or connected to each other. Locking pins |43 extend from the disc |42. The spur gear |4I meshes with the pinion ||4.

A pair of guide brackets I 46 and 41 extend from the supporting plate 88 and have guided therein the slide bar |48 having the bifurcated end |49, in which latter is journaled the roller |58. The roller |59 coacts with the cam ISI. A pin |5| extends from the slide bar |48 and a spring |52 has one end fastened to the pin |5| and its other end is fastened to the guide bracket |41. A pawl |54 having the hook end |55 is pivoted on the pin |56 extending from the slide bar |48. A plate spring |58 has one end fastened to the slide bar |48 and its free end bears against the pawl |54. The hook end |55 coacts with the locking pins |43. Adjacent to the upper end of the vertical shaft I0 is fastened the upper cross shaped journal bracket |62 having the pairs of ears |63, and adjacent to the lower end of the shaft ||0 is fastened the lower cross shaped journal bracket |64 having the pairs of ears I 55.

In the working chamber 44 are indicated four movable Walls designated respectively by the numerals |18, |1I, |12 and |13. Each of said walls |10 to |13 has extending therefrom the supporting platform |14. Adjacent to the upper end of each of said walls is fastened a bfuroated the bifurcated journal bracket |19.

journal bracket |15, and at the lower portion of each of said walls are fastened the pair of guide brackets |19 and |11. In each pair of the guide brackets |16 and I'I'.' is guided the slide rod |18. A bifurcated journal bracket |19 is fastened to each of the slide rods |18. A single lever for each of the walls |10 to |13, has its upper end pivoted to a pair of the ears |63 of the upper cross shaped journal bracket |62. The lower end of each of the single levers |85 is pivoted to A pair of spaced parallel levers |86, having the lower portions |81 inclined to the body portions thereof for each of said walls, have each their upper ends pivoted to one of the journal brackets |15 by means of the pivot pin |88. A spacer disc |89 is supported on each of the pins |88 and positioned between the levers |86. To the ends of the lower portions |81 are pivoted the guide rollers |93, which latter coact with the main disc cam IDG. Between each pair of the levers |86 is journaled a roller which coacts with its accompanying single lever I 85.

Each pair of the levers |86 at the lower portions thereof are pivoted to a pair of the ears |65 of the brackets I 64, by means of the pivot pin |91. It will be noted that each single lever |85 is positioned between its accompanying pair of levers |86.

A spring |98 connects the upper ends of each oppositely positioned pair of single levers |85, and a spring |99 connects the lower ends of each of the pairs of levers |85.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 8, 4 and l0, on the upper face of the base plate 22 in the observation cham- 3 ber 43, are indicated a plurality of strips designated in their entirety by the numeral 288, and on the bottom face of the roof or ceiling 28 in said observation chamber 43, are indicated a plurality of similar strips designated in their entirety by the numeral 29|.

The strips 288 comprise, the pair of strips 285 and the oppositely positioned pair of strips 286, the pair of strips 281 and the oppositely positioned pair of strips 293, the pairs of strips 289, 2|0, 2H and 2|2, and the single strips 2|3 and 2|4. Some of the strips extend from the side walls 2G of the main housing 28 and some from the front end of the base plate 22 to the lower tubular support 59. The strip 2|3 is adjacent to the lower edge of the mirror 4| and the strip 2|4 is adjacent to the lower edge of the mirror 42.

By means of the light of the electric light bulb 3| and the mirror 4|, the strip 2 I8 is reected aS indicated at 2|3a (Fig. l0) and the pair of strips 285 are reflected as indicated at 285m The electric light bulb 3| is reflected at 3| a.

By means of the light of the electric light bulb 32 and the mirror 42, the strip 2I4 is reflected as indicated at 2|4a (Fig. 10) and the pair of strips 288 are reflected as indicated at 29M. The electric light bulb 32 is also reflected at 3|a. By means of the reflection the strips 208, which may be pieces of tape or may be painted on base plate 28, an appearance is produced that the strips 280 extend to the rear of the main housing 29 and that there is an electric light bulb 3|@ near its rear portion, which in reality does not exist. The strips 20| are reflected at the top of the observation chamber 43, as described for the strips 209.

Referring particularly to Fig. 10, the top face of the roof 49 of the display housing 45 has indicated therein the triangular shaped ornamentation having the base 229 and the side 22|, the triangular shaped ornamentation having the base 223 and the side 224, and the triangular shaped ornamentation 226. By means of the mirror 4| and the electric light bulb 3|, the side 22| is reiiected at 22ia and the base 220 is reiiected at 220m. By means of the mirror 42 and the electric light bulb 32 the side 224 is reflected at 224a, and the base 223 is also reected at 22011,. The results of the reiiections make it appear that there is a triangular shaped ornamentation opposite the ornamentation 226 and which in reality does not exist.

To operate the magic ldisplay apparatus, the swinging doors 55 of the display housing 45 may be considered open. The electric light bulbs 3|, 32 and 33 are energized and the electric motor S is started. The supporting platform |14 of the wall |10 has nothing indicate-d thereon, the platform |14 of the wall |1| has indicated the top, view 230 of a doll, the platform |14 of the wall |13 has supported thereon a container 23| and the platform |14 of the wall |12 has supported thereon a bottle 232. The -observer as he views the open display housing 45 will note that it is empty, and that the main housing 20 is empty, appearing as a rectangular enclosure with the strips 200 and 20|, and the electric light bulbs 3| and 32 reflected as already described.

With the rotations of the electric motor 90 the worm 91 is turned. The latter turns the worm wheel i @0, and thereby the driving shaft 98 turns. The cams |0, |05 and |01 turn with the shaft 98. The rotations of the cam |0| moves the slide bar |48 in the direction of the arrow A and said bar is moved in the opposite direction by the tension of the spring |52. When the slide bar |48 moves in the direction of the arrow A, the hook end |55 of the pawl |54 engages the pins |43 of the pin disc |42, one after the other. By this means the disc |42 is turned in the direction of the arrow B. The spur gear |4| turns with the disc |42. The spur gear |4| turns the pinion I4 in the direction of the arrow C and the vertical shaft H0 turns with the said pinion I4 in the direction of the arrow C. The controlling disc turns with the vertical shaft H0, and is placed in four different positions ninety degrees apart, and held in place by virtue of the locking pins |3| engaging the locking notches H5 one after the other. By this means the walls |10, |12, |13 and |1| are consecutively positioned opposite the opening 50 of the display housing 45. After the observer has viewed the empty display housing 45, the rotation of the side cam |01 and the tension of the spring 84, the oscillating lever 82 is swung and brought to bear on the stop face 45a of the opening 40 to open the doors 55, the required amount not more than 135 degrees from their closed positions.

With the swing of the lever 82, the arm 18 moves the lever 15 which turns the spur gears 15, whereby the pinions 14 are turned, and thereby the doors 55 are swung open. When the roller 83 coacts with the side cam |01, the operating lever E2 with its coacting elements closes the doors 55. After the doors 55 are closed the vertical shaft ||0 remains at rest for an interval of time and taking into consideration the wall |10, the tension of the springs E93 and |09 draws the wall to its -open position from the opening 50. The roller |58 strikes the hook end |23 of the slide |22, which disengages the locking lever |30 from its locking notch I6 of the disc 5, and by means of the rotation of the driving shaft 98 and the intermediate elements the shaft i0 is turned as already described and the wall |12 is positioned opposite :and in line with the opening 50. At the same time the .controlling disc ||5 is locked in position by means tof the tension of the spring |34 bearing against the lever |30. The main disc cam |06 now bears against the roller |93 and the pair of levers |86 of the wall |12 move the said wall |12 opposite the opening 50. The side cam |01 coacting with the roller 83 opens the doors 55 as already explained. The bottle 232 is now brought into view. The door 55 are now again closed, the wall |12 is moved from the opening 50, the controlling disc 5 is again unlocked, the shaft H0 is again turned, the controlling disc |15 is again locked andthe wall |13 moves opposite the opening 50. The doors 55 again open and the container 23| is brought into view. In the same manner the doll 230 is brought into View in the display housing 45.

It will be noted that the stop pin |32 controls the distance to which the locking pin |3| enters the locking notches H6. l

The magic display apparatus when used for amtwement ina theatre is made large enough so that the supporting platforms |14 may support human beings and various large objects.

Various modifications may be made in the invention and the present exemplication is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus the combination of a display housing having an opening in the rear portion thereof, a pair of doors hinged to said housing opposite to its opening, means to open and close said doors, a plurality of walls supported outside of said housing and to the rear of its opening and mea-ns to revolve said walls and position them one after the other to close said opening.

2. In an apparatus the combination of a main housing, comprising a base plate, a roof and side walls, a pair of mirrors inclined to each other and to said side walls in said housing, a pair of electric light bulbs extending up from said base plate in front of said mirrors and strips indicated on the upper face of said base plate in front of said mirrors, said electric bulbs and strips reected by said mirrors, to make itA appear that strips and an electric light bulb are provided for the rear portion of the housing.

3. In an apparatus the combination of a main housing, a base plate and a roof for said housing, Side walls connecting said base plate and roof, inclined vertical Walls extending between said base plate and roof and each making an angle of forty five degrees with its adjacent side wall,

- a mirror bearing against each of said inclined walls with their inner edges adjacent to each other at the central portion of said main housing, a p-air of electric bulbs extending from said base plate at the front portion thereof and strips indicated on the upper face of said base plate and on the lower face of said ceiling in front of said mirrors, a number of said strips and said electric light bulbs reflected by said mirrors, to make it appear that strips and an electric light bulb are provided for the rear portion of said housing.

4. In an apparatus the combination of a main housing, comprising a base plate, a roof and side walls, vertical mirrors inclined to each other and to said side walls in said main housing, dividing it into an observation chamber at its front portion and into a working chamber at its rear portion, a display housing having its vertical center line at the peak of said mirrors, a pair of side walls for said display housing, a pair of doors at its front end, said display housing having an opening at its rear, walls in the working chamber adapted to close the opening in said display housing, a roof for said display housing, ornamentations indicated on the latter roof in said observation chamber and to the front of said mirrors and electric light bulbs in said main housing in front of said display housing, said mirrors reflecting said ornamentations to make it appear that they are indicated to the rear of said mirrors.

5. In an apparatus the combination of a main housing, a base plate and a roof for said housing, side walls connecting said base plate and roof, inclined vertical walls extending between said base plate and roof and each making an angle of forty-five degrees with its adjacent side wall, said inclined Walls producing an observation chamber in the front portion of the housing and a working4 chamber in the rear portion thereof, a mirror bearing against each of said inclined walls with their inner edges adjacent to each other at the central portion of said main housing, a pair of electric light bulbs extending up from said base plate in said observation chamber, a single strip indicated on the upper face of said base plate in said observation chamber parallel to and adjacent to the lower edge of each mirror, a similar single strip indicated on the lower face of said roof in said observation chamber parallel to and adjacent to the upper edge of each of said mirrors, a plurality of pairs of strips both 'in the said base plate and roof of said housing in said observation chamber, said single strips reflected by said mirror to appear as double strips and said electric light bulbs reflecting as one bulb appearing in the rear of said mirrors and a number of said pairs of strips reflected by said mirrors to make them appear in the rear portion of said housing.

6. In an apparatus the combination of a main housing, a base plate and a roof for said main housing, side walls between said base plate and roof, inclined vertical walls extending between said base plate and roof, each of the latter walls making an angle of forty-five degrees with its adjacent side wall, said inclined Walls at their front ends having a connecting member, said inclined walls producing an observation chamber in the front portion of said main housing and a working chamber in the rear portion thereof, a mirror bearing against each of said inclined walls and having their inner edges adjacent to each other at the central portion of the main housing, a display housing in the main housing having its vertical axis at the peak of said mirrors and connecting the` observation chamber and said working chamber, a base plate, side walls and a roof for the display housing, the front and rear of the display housing each having an opening, means to close said rear opening, rods rotatively supported at the open front end of the display housing, a door connected to each of said rods, a tubular support having a longitudinal rear opening extending between the base plates of the main housing and the display housing, and a similar support between the roofs of the main housing and display housing, an electric motor in the Working chamber, a cam actuated by said motor, an oscillating bar in the lower tubular support of said display housing, a pinion fastened to the lower end of each of said rods, spur gears journaled to the lower face of the base plate of the display housing in mesh with said pinions, a lever having its ends pivoted to said spur gears, a pin extending from said lever, an arm having one end fastened to the oscillating bar, a fork at the other end of said arm engaging the pin of said lever, an operating lever having one end fastened to said oscillating bar, and a roller journaled to the swinging end of the operating lever, the latter extending through an opening in the connecting member of the inclined walls, and a spring having one end connected to the latter lever and its other end fastened to one of said inclined walls, the roller coacting with the cam to open the doors of thc display housing and the tension of said spring automatically closing said doors.

'7. In an apparatus, the combination of a main housing, a base plate and a roof for said housing, side walls between said base plate and roof, inclined vertical walls extending between said base plate and roof, each of the latter wall making an angle of forty-five degrees with its adjacent side wall, said inclined walls at their front ends having a connecting member, said inclined Walls producing an observation chamber in the front portion of said main housing and a working chamber in "le rear portion thereof, a mirror bearing against each of said inclined walls and having their inner ends adjacent to each other at the central portion of the main housing, a display housing in the main housing having its vertical axis at the peak of said mirrors and connecting the observation chamber and said working chamber, a base plate, side walls and a roof for the display housing, the front and rear of the display housing each having an opening, doors for the opening at the front of the display housing, an electric motor in the working chamber, a vertical shaft journaled in the working chamber to the rear of said display housing, means interposed between said motor and shaft to intermittently rotate the shaft by said motor, four movable walls in the operating chamber positioned to close the opening at the rear of the display housing one after the other with the rotations of the vertical shaft, cross shaped journaled brackets fastened to said vertical shaft adjacent to its upper and lower ends, a slide rod slidably connected to each of said walls adjacent to the lower end thereof, a single lever for each of said walls having its upper end pivoted to the journaled bracket at the upper end of the vertical shaft and its lower end in slidable relation with its adjacent slide rod, a pair of levers for each of said walls having their upper ends pivoted to its Wall and their lower portions pivoted to the journal bracket at the lower portion of the vertical shaft, a spring connecting the upper portion of a single lever and the upper portion of a pair of the levers, a spring connecting the lower portion of a pair of the levers with a second pair of the levers, a guide roller pivoted to the lower portions of the pairs of levers and a cam in the operating chamber turning with the rotations of said eleotric motor and coacting with the rollers at the lower portion of said pairs of levers as the latter are intermittently brought in position with said cam to close said walls with their openings against the tension of said springs which open the walls from the rear opening of the display housing.

PETER LAMONTE. 

